Why Do We Want Authors to Sign Their Books?

I’ve already said more about autographs than I intended to and probably so much that some of you are tired of hearing about them, but I’d like to say one more thing. Aside from the increased value an autograph gives a book and the personal connection that exists when we meet a favorite author and ask them to sign a book, why do we ask authors to sign books? Forget the famous authors, what about those who aren’t so well known? I have purchased a few self-published books that haven’t sold very well. I won’t mention the names of the authors because you wouldn’t know them anyway. But if I were to meet these authors, I would ask them to sign their books. Why?

Asking an author to sign his book is a way of recognizing him for the work he has put into the book. Maybe the book is poorly written. Maybe we couldn’t get past the first page. That doesn’t matter. We want to show the author that we appreciate him, whether we think much of his book or not.

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